CH 21.1

I asked Zoe about the progress of the work I had entrusted to her.

“I did what you told me to do. The situation is getting crazy.”

“I told you it would work out as I said.”

“That aside, you seemed happy. Did something happen?”

Perhaps because we shared the same blood, Zoe noticed my mood more quickly than others.

“I will tell you later.”

I wanted to brag to everyone that Cassion had accepted my proposal, but it wasn’t the right time yet.

The announcement would be made when no one could even disapprove. The power of words was incredible. Even if I was being careful, it could leak from somewhere.

So to keep this secret hidden, it was only right not to tell anyone no matter how close we were.

‘If Count Corcos and Julia turned out to know each other, it would be a disaster if they heard about it before the marriage was confirmed.’

Cassion wouldn’t change his mind once he had made up his mind. But there was one variable; King Carmine.

‘Will he give us permission to get married?’

“What are you thinking so hard about? You scare me when you think hard like that.”

“About sitting on a money cushion?”

“You kids talk about a lot of weird things.”

I wondered if she thought I was worried about making money whenever I thought deeply. She hasn’t requested a lot lately.

Zoe smiled bitterly and messed my hair.

“You keep making me do things that a normal kid would think of.”

She did say that she was worried that I would be in danger.

“You’re lying because you like to make money.”

I deliberately joked and lightened the atmosphere in case her concern moved me.

“Sure, that would do. So, how are you going to make me money this time?”

Zoe lightly responded to me with a couple more light jokes that went back and forth.

“You planted people in Phoenix Bank, right?”

I started diving into the serious talk.

“Of course. But how did you know that Julia was doing a back-door deal with Phoenix Bank? It was top-secret information, though.”

It hurt her pride that I found out about the relationship between Julia and Phoenix Bank before her.

When Zoe came back to me to give me the first report of Phoenix Bank, I asked her to focus on the relationship between Phoenix Bank and Julia.

Shortly after, Zoe found circumstantial evidence that Julia and the president of Phoenix Bank had been exchanging jewelry and buildings for some time.

“How did you know that?”

“Oh, that.”

I answered back insignificantly. If she made a fuss about it, I would say it wasn’t a big deal.

I learned about the relationship between Phoenix Bank and Julia thanks to my previous life experience.

Julia had me run many errands in the past. I remembered how she used me like a marionette doll that she could control however she liked.

One day, Julia visited me urgently.

I had to meet someone in a hurry, but I didn’t have time, so she only told me to meet him and give something to him.

She told me just to be quiet and don’t ever talk to him. Then, he would recognize me and take the goods.

I ran the errand without much thought. It was the person from Phoenix Bank who came to me back then.

I didn’t remember the face, but I could clearly remember the Phoenix Bank badge attached to his collar.

I added the information to Zoe when I remembered about it. Then she found the strand between Julia and Phoenix Bank.

“You said it was strange that the late Queen was in debt.”

“I did.”

“Auntie, you dug it up, and you said that Her Majesty had never met anyone related to the bank.”

Zoe nodded.

“That’s why I am thinking about something.”

I played with the pen on my desk.

“It’s time for a new person to step in.”

“You’re frustrating me, so just hurry up and tell me. Don’t you know that time is money?”

Zoe was impatient. Her curiosity was aroused.

“Okay, auntie. I had never heard that the late Queen was struggling with debts when she was alive.”

“But you were so young.”

“There was no record as well, huh? Even a third-class coachman wouldn’t miss people’s eyes, but there is really nothing.”

“It is hidden well.”

“Just how far could they hide it? Even the record that the late Queen went to the twilight mansion existed, and there were dozens of surveillance knights around her under  the guise of escort.”

Zoe rubbed her chin. She was trying to figure out Diana’s hypothesis. Then she hit her palm, indicating that she had something in mind.

“Could it be that the debts were created after her death? So that was what you’re thinking!”

“Yes! After her death, someone could have impersonated the late Queen and made a loan under her name. And that debt….”

“It was Phoenix Bank. So, are you suspecting Julia, the current Queen is behind this?

“Her Majesty is the one who had a connection to Phoenix Bank, and she actively refused when the twilight mansion was being put up for auction. And one more thing, if people know that the twilight mansion was being auctioned….”

“The reputation of the previous Queen will fall to the bottom. People will compare, and Julia will get sympathy.”

I nodded my head. As expected, Zoe was brilliant. It was such a waste for her to just wander for information.